Chapter 3 Awakening

  Thank you all for your PK votes and evaluation votes! Since the new book's exposure rate is relatively low, Qian Yu hopes to have the opportunity to get on the new book chart. If you have any spare recommendation tickets, please help Qian Yu vote a few, thank you very much! Thank you to the few good sisters who wrote long reviews. Here, I'll answer Xiang Ru's question: because this story is set in a fictional world, don't worry too much about the place names. As for me, Qian Yu, I'm really bad at directions and often get north and south mixed up, sorry to make you all laugh!

  The wet nurse's eyes were sharp, and she saw the tears dripping from Jinzi's eyes and her lips trembling slightly. She exclaimed: "She's awake! She's awake, Master! The young mistress is awake!"

  "Jingluo...... Jingluo, maiden, you've finally woken up?" A middle-aged man's voice echoed beside her ear.

  Jinzi knew that since she had been reborn, she should be prepared to face everything. She slowly opened her eyes and turned her head, and the person who came into view was a middle-aged man wearing an iron-rust red round-necked straight-collared official robe, who was Jin San Niang's father, Jin Yuan. This year, Jin Yuan is already forty-three years old, with a white complexion and a one-word beard, high nose bridge, clear eyebrows and eyes, and several fine wrinkles at the corners of his eyes, with an ancient man's hair bun, and a transparent green jade hairpin.

  The word "father" suddenly appeared in Jinzi's mind, and he had always yearned for paternal love...

  Jin Zi stared blankly at him, not speaking. The father in front of her didn't show any strangeness, but smiled and grasped Jin Zi's hand, hoarsely asking: "Jing Luo, little girl, are you hungry?"

  Kaneko nodded, and indeed he was hungry.

  Mother Zhuang immediately smiled and ran out quickly, saying: "I'll go prepare food right away!"

  Jinzi looked down at his small hand being held in his father's palm, feeling the warmth and a surge of warmth spreading throughout his body. Jinzi remembered the instructions left by Jin San Niang before she left, to take good care of her father! In this moment of rebirth, Jinzi decided to fulfill his promise to Jin San Niang, treating her father as his own and being filial to him.

  Jinzi raised his eyes, and a pair of amber-colored eyes had a bright light flowing at the bottom, covering his father's big hand with his hand, smiling: "Dad, I'm fine!"

  As soon as the words fell, Jinzi's father was suddenly stunned, his whole body like being struck by lightning, unbelievable, and difficult to conceal his excitement... His thin lips opened and closed, unable to speak, with a hint of moisture in the corner of his eyes.

  He didn't mishear, did he? Rongrong spoke up? His daughter, who had been diagnosed with autism and hadn't spoken a word since then, was now speaking again in front of him? Those empty eyes now shone brightly, although her body and complexion were still weak, but his Rongrong was like a completely different person compared to before.

  Seeing his daughter able to speak, her condition seemed to be improving as well. Jin Yu Xi was overjoyed and didn't suspect that something might not be quite right. He thought it was the blessing of the gods that had cleared his daughter's mind. He held onto Jin Zi's hand, repeatedly asking how she was doing, and Jin Zi was moved to tears. However, Jin San Niang's body was weak from long illness, and after saying a few words, she was already panting and her spirit was not well.

  Jin Yuan supported Jin Zi to lie down, calling the maid who was guarding outside to come in and smile. He instructed her to take good care of Jin Zi, and Xiao smiled hastily and nodded in response.

  "Master, Zhang Shiy has returned and is waiting for you in the main hall of the yamen!" A low voice came from the doorway of the outer room. Jinzi knew that this person was He Tian, the steward of the mansion.

  Jin Yuan looked outside and responded in a low voice, "Got it!" Then he lowered his eyes to look at Jinzi, revealing a loving smile, saying: "Jingjing, Daddy still has official business to attend to. You must eat well, take your medicine obediently, understand?"

  Jinzi smiled and nodded in response: "I understand!"

  Jin Yuan tucked in the quilt that was covering Jin Zi's body, gently patted her hand, and then got up to head outside.

  Xiao Xiao, who was standing aside, had just overheard the conversation between her mistress and master in the outer room. She was shocked and her dark eyes kept darting towards Jinzi. Having grown up following her mistress since childhood, Xiao Xiao knew that after turning four years old, her mistress stopped speaking altogether. Many doctors were invited to examine her, all of whom concluded that she suffered from a congenital deficiency and had autism. Although the master strictly forbade anyone in the manor from gossiping about her mistress behind her back, or even mentioning that she was an unlucky person, everyone in the entire county of Taoyuan knew that the Jin family had a mute daughter who couldn't speak. Yet, after returning from the underworld, her mistress seemed different somehow.

  As a forensic expert, Jinzi's meticulous thinking and high alertness made him notice the puzzled and inquiring eyes of Xiaoxiao. Jinzi was extremely familiar with the structure of the human body, and based on the size of her palms, skin condition, and skeletal features, he could tell that Xiaoxiao was about the same age as Jin San Niang, probably only sixteen or seventeen years old.

  "Xiao Xiao!" Jinzi called out with a smile, her eyes filled with affection. In her memory, Xiao Xiao had always been very considerate of San Niang, as she was busy taking care of the household chores, sweeping, and cooking, leaving little time to accompany San Niang. The one who spent the most time with her was this little maid, Xiao Xiao.

  "Daughter?" Laughing and surprised, she took a step forward, knelt on the footboard, tightly grasped Jinzi's hand, tears falling down, sobbing: "Daughter, so you can talk! Why, why all these years... Waaah, it's okay now, as long as you take good care of your body, you'll definitely get better!"

  Xiao Xiao's coarse linen sleeves rubbed against Jinzi's pale and weak wrists, slightly scratching her, but the faint scent of soap from the fabric made Jinzi feel a warmth in her heart. She reached out to wipe away the tears on Xiao Xiao's face and replied: "All these years, I've been a burden to you and your mother... I promise you both, I'll definitely take good care of my body and get better!"

  "Mmm!" He smiled and nodded, his voice choked with emotion.

  While the food was being served, the wet nurse saw this scene and also shed tears. On her way back, she met the old master and said that the young mistress had spoken up, but he didn't believe it at all. She was the wet nurse of the young mistress, and in her heart, the young mistress was like her own child. These years, the young mistress lived as if she had no soul, suffering and praying every day for God to hear her voice and bless her with a clear mind. The young mistress only closed herself off and stopped speaking after the lady left, she wasn't an unlucky person, at least not in her heart, never was...

  It's all right now, wife. She has finally come to her senses and won't be living like a walking corpse anymore... Waaah... Madam, if your spirit is still with us, did you see that?

  Her mother burst into tears, she was overjoyed. Heaven has finally opened its eyes, and she has finally seen the dawn after a long wait.

  Xing Rong Yuan is the living quarters of Lin's family, located in the main courtyard on the east side of Jin Fu. The yard has pavilions, waterside pavilions, winding corridors with ear houses, and its architectural style is full of the flavor of Jiangnan rain, which is the most exquisite and elegant place in the whole Jin Fu.

  A maid in a dark green cheongsam with an apricot-colored jacket walked past the long corridor, passed by the artificial hill and waterside pavilion in the courtyard, and slipped into Xiang Rong Yuan.

  There was a maidservant under the corridor who bowed to her and called out "Feng Mama" before busily opening the curtain to let her in.

  Mrs. Feng took off her wooden clogs and walked into the room, a faint scent of incense wafting towards her. She stopped in her tracks and peeked into the inner chamber to the east, where she saw a wisp of white smoke rising from the incense burner, and through the green jade curtain, a young maid servant emerged from the inner chamber, dressed in a red uniform. This was Qing Dai, Lin's personal attendant and head maid.

  Feng Mama was the most trusted and relied upon confidant of Lin's, helping her manage the procurement and financial matters within the inner courtyard. Qing Dai naturally didn't dare to be presumptuous in front of her. She put on a smiling face, welcomed Feng Mama with a bow, and asked after her well-being.

  Mrs. Feng also smiled and asked: "Is the lady still taking a nap?"

  "Madam has just woken up for a moment, go in, mom!" Qing Dai smiled.

  Mrs. Feng pursed her lips, nodded and stepped forward, lifting the curtain and walking in.